Alondra Nelson, deputy director for science and society at the Office of Science and Technology Policy, has been appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as OSTP’s director on an interim basis.
Nelson has led efforts to maintain the integrity of the federal government’s scientific activities, fortify the U.S. research infrastructure and boost participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, the White House said Wednesday.
She also helped the Biden administration implement early directives focused on scientific integrity and evidence-based policymaking.
The White House added that Francis Collins, former director at the National Institutes of Health, will concurrently perform the roles of science adviser to the president and co-chair the Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
Collins led NIH for over 12 years and is the agency’s longest-serving director appointed by a president. He is also a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which the government granted him in late 2007.
Both appointments come after Eric Lander resigned as head of OSTP and as the president’s top science adviser amid investigations into his conduct while in office, according to a Politico report.
